Short Story 2: Workplace

The news has been going on about this Jack guy for a while. 'Man turned beast, a monster trying to trick his way into our society'. Soldiers had found his letter just outside the city attached to an outpost, which has people freaking out about how a monster got so close to the city. Ever since it was discovered, the news only plays the livestream of his journey through the desert and his letter pleading to return. News anchors, monster specialists and politicians have been talking about him and trying to analyse his letter, trying to see some great philosophy or plot within it. It doesn't matter if he is still himself or not. He's never going to be able to join human society again. It didn't help that it was believed he was made this way because of Eriti. The creature humankind feared above all others. Who was known to experiment on humans and monsters alike. I just wish they would stop talking about it. Yes, I know he was famous, but no one needs to be told that he won't be allowed back. Driving to work with this playing constantly is just irritating at this point. Life will go on the way it has always been. Monsters are monsters, humans are humans. The divide between us was not likely to close anytime soon. There was no point in dragging this out. I quickly park the car in the company parking lot and step out of the car. The massive building of my workplace was towering over me. It was the biggest building within the city with the wealthiest person in the world standing atop of it. The company exported goods for this and every human city. I just hope that I can contribute, this company made so many people happy. Not only did it create weapons to protect the citizens from the magical creatures outside, but it exported food, toys, furniture and advanced technology. They achieved this by having their own personal army and collectors that went out into the world to find materials. Allowing them to create anything and everything. The materials that the company were able to get were rare and strong making everything that they exported better than any other companies. They also had whole departments dedicated to advancing mankind and technology. It was amazing how one person could achieve all this, and I was contributing to it. I could feel pride fill my soul as I stared at the building.

"Heelllooo" I heard someone stretch out a greeting in a mocking way, waving a hand in front of my face. It was enough to snap me out of my prideful daze but before I could respond James grabbed my shoulders and began to shake me rapidly. "Come back to us!" He cried. He stopped shaking me and turned the other way. 'It's too late she's gone." No one was laughing at his antics. Seems Susan who had walked up with James didn't find it funny either. He went onto his knees "I remember the time she fought to get me the last cupcake and almost died. The time she scolded me for bringing alcohol to work then drank some with me when no one was looking. She was a true friend, a good friend. Go now my friend... tell the gods that your friend James... that has never asked for anything in return, wants... a... RAISE!" He kept a dramatic voice throughout the monologue. All the times he's talking about only appeared in the break room or office as none of us has spent time together out of work. But they made work more entertaining at least. James was finally done, he got up onto his feet, stared at the two of us and says "hi." The change, in contrast, did make me smile. "You took it too far" Susan says "Oh, come on, I think I deserve an acting award for that performance." "No, you were too over the top" I say and Susan piles on "And you kept hesitating as if you didn't know your line." "I didn't! It was improvised!" "Still you were too hesitant. Work on that, then you can be a famous actor" Susan emphasizes the word actor. "Thank you for your sage advice, mentor. I won't let you down" He strikes another pose to show his determination while Susan nods. "Okay guys, we got to go" They both look at me with confusion on their faces as if they just realized they have work today. "Right, we should get moving." His face suddenly became serious. James went into work mode rather quickly. All three of us start walking into the building. "Oh yeah, what were you dazing out about before?" Susan asks. "Oh, it was nothing. I was just feeling a little proud of working for her." "Most of the city works for the company though" James says. "If not in this building but in other shops and businesses she owns" 'I know but we're still contributing to the improvement of mankind, doesn't that make you feel prideful? Like you're doing something with meaning in your life?" The two of them keep walking without answering for a while, then "Yeah, it does" Susan starts walking with a bit more confidence in her step as if she hadn't thought about it before but now has the same pride I do. James, however, still hasn't said anything. We all go into the elevator and James hits the button for the 138th floor. The elevator flies up at amazing speed. We went past many floors, dedicated to weapon manufacturing for the army, toy workshops, jewellery and clothing factories, advancement and creation of technology and electronics then lastly administration. We hop off the elevator and head towards our workstation, James and I work next to each other while Susan's desk is quite a bit away. We say our goodbyes and head to our station. I feel happy and relieved to be at my desk. Why was that? I don't know what it is but being at work, contributing and doing my best has been my main goals lately. I've always been prideful of my work, but it's gotten more intense lately. Like, I'm suddenly happiest when I'm here. It's been like this for a week now. Maybe about the time the news started about the adventurer. Anyway, I'm here and it's time to make the boss proud. "Let's get to work" I say with actual excitement in my voice. Multiple voices respond around me, ranging from yeses with exhaustion in their voice to shouts which were full of excitement but the voice right next to me was the clearest "Right!" I suddenly realized why I've had this change in outlook, why I have been so happy to be here. Since the news came out, we've acted more like a community rather than just co-workers that had to deal with each other. Knowing that humans can become monsters and that we can be left out of the city with no one to turn to seems to have made us inside and outside of work want to connect more. Breaks became times for the office to talk and goof around with each other, we helped each other when needed and we have drawn closer together. Increasing our morale and output. I could feel the smile on my face, it may have only been a week of the change, but these people were starting to feel like family. Especially James and Susan.

I've been working for an hour now but the morale of everybody made it seem like it was a lot shorter. I see my manager coming over, seeing him reminded me of how much more relaxed he had become lately. He too had been swept up in the newfound bonds and kinship we had for each other. He stops at my desk. Did I do something wrong? Or is this going to be a friendly chat? I feel divided, we might be closer now, but he is still my boss. ''Emily, the boss wants to see you." The boss? He is my boss... unless. The true meaning of his words hits me and all I can feel is anxious. I lift out of my chair so quickly that I feel a bit dizzy "What! Why!? Did I do something wrong" the questions spill out of me before I can stop myself. Jeff doesn't seem concerned though. "It's fine, from what I hear it isn't bad. No need to make a ruckus." The word ruckus makes me realise how much noise I just made. I look around the office and most people have taken their eyes off their work and now on me. "You've got this" James says. His face is completely calm and confident. Does he know something? Either way, I can feel calm starting to wash over me. It's fine, I tell myself. I give my best smile "Okay, should I head up now?" "Yes, they're waiting for you." Waiting! I scream in my head; I've kept the boss waiting for me. "I got to go" I say in a hurry and make my way towards the elevator as quick as possible. I hear people shouting encouragement, Susan's voice raising above them all "I'll have wine prepared when you get back!"

The elevator dings to indicate that I am on the top floor of the building. The light shines on the number 340. This was the boss's floor, all dedicated to having meetings with other companies, mayor of this city and from different cities and other politicians. I breathe out one last time to try and remove my anxiety then put my best smile on. I feel a little better now and more confident, so I head out of the elevator doors and towards the reception desk. "Hello I'm Em"- "Yes, I know. Enter through the doors when you are ready" the woman cuts me off. A little rude but I don't have time to focus on that now. I turn to the doors, the massive doors. Why did they have to be so tall and intimidating? They have markings all over them, depicting lions, snakes and I think some sort of buffalo, but I can't be sure. This array of animals seems to be heading to the centre of the door. Which lead to a female figure who seems to be floating with her arms stretched out. I push the doors open; they were so heavy. I feel my arms straining against it. "How do they get these open every day," I say under my breath. With one last heave, the left door gives way. I was heaving I knew it was bad to be in such a state in front of the boss, but the doors were too much. I don't exercise. It's like the doors are design to tire people out. I catch movement near a window from the corner of my eye. It was the boss, staring down at the city below. I straighten myself as fast as I could "Hello, I'm Emily Lones. Thank you for seeing me Miss Myrkiza" Her back was away from me but even still I could see that the rumours of the boss being the depiction of beauty was true. They were wearing a long black dress which had a slight opening in the middle of the back, the boss turns to me with a beautiful smile that catches me off guard. Her smile was stunning, it was amazing how perfect every one of her facial features looked. Her hair went down to just above her shoulders and was jet-black. I couldn't help but feel a little flustered, this was my first time seeing her in person and it was a shock. The cameras did not do justice. Miss Myrkiza walks over to her chair in the most elegant way imaginable. Combined with the massive room with different items that seemed to be rare artefacts or new technology made this feel like a dream. "Come, have a seat" Miss Myrkiza says. Her voice is soothing and almost hypnotic. I nod as I walk up to the desk she is now standing behind. "Get us some tea." I suddenly realized we were not alone, another woman nods before heading off. I take my seat. I use this chance to look around the room. There were people all along the eastern and western walls, male and female alike. They're wearing suits and guns were somewhat protruding out from under a few of their coats. Most likely bodyguards. I hear the sound of the chair moving, I turn my head to see Miss Myrkiza taking her seat now. "So, I'm assuming you are wondering why I called you up here." She says in her soothing voice. "Y-yes ma'am." I found myself stumbling over my words, but it was not because I was nervous. No, it was her eyes. They were so deep, I felt like I was getting lost. "No need to be so formal, call me Ellie" Shock hit me first, the woman who was helping the world become better, to improve humankind and was considered the best businesswoman in the world was acting so informal with me. That quickly was replaced by happiness, she felt comfortable enough with me for me to use her name like she was a friend. I don't know why but it made me happy. What was happening? I don't why but it feels wrong. Like I shouldn't be feeling this way but I was. I nod slowly. Ellie smiled again which made the feeling of happiness increase. The lady from before brings out the teapot with two cups. Both the pot and cups are decorated in the same markings on them as the door. Is it some sort of family thing? I focus my attention back to Ellie after the lady pours the tea and makes a retreat. "W-what can I do f-for you El-E." I was struggling with her name, why? What is going on? I needed to be better than this. "Ellie," I say in a clear and professional tone. I overcame the sense of being lost from her eyes as well as the giddiness that her smile gave me if even only for a moment. Ellie nods ever so slightly, I almost think it was my imagination, but it was there. Was this a test? Was this the normal reaction she got from people and she wanted to see if I could overcome it? I straighten my back as much as I could and continue to fight the lostness, but I can't move my eyes from hers. "According to your manager and co-workers, you are a very hard worker. Especially in the last week. This was cemented for me when I saw your logs, reports and other files." She was praising me, I felt like I was on cloud-9 for a second but I willed myself to keep composure. "I require a new personal assistant and I think you're what I need". Suddenly, everything that had transpired made a little more sense. It was a test, Ellie is famous for constantly hiring assistants and quickly firing them. Maybe they just got lost and couldn't do their jobs well. I realized something, this happiness that I was feeling, it feels the same as the happiness I feel towards my work and I the closeness as I do for my co-workers but more extreme, more intense. Was it because of her that everyone had gotten so close? I feel an idea forming in my head, but it isn't taking shape. I haven't said anything for a minute, I scramble for some words to say. "I... I don't know if I could be of... assistance" It was true, how would I be able to help her. She was at the top of the world. Ellie stands and moves around her desk. She sits on the edge of it and her eyes look right into mine. They're deeper than before, almost bottomless. She's testing me, she must be. "You need to be more confident; I can already see that you're strong-willed" she says. That confirmed it in my mind, she knew what effect she had on people and she was using it to test me or perhaps she was causing it on purpose. "I..." I'm struggling, I feel like I'm drowning. How was she doing this? It was so much harder to talk now then it was before. With those eyes looking to mine I felt that I couldn't say no. That I could be confident, that I could help. That I was worth it. I pull my eyes away from hers with all my might. "I...I will do my best" I can't see her, but I feel as if she is smiling. My want to see her smile overcomes me. I look up and immediately jump back. Shock and fear running through my body, I lower my head back down to the ground. "Is something wrong?" I hear her voice which seemed to will my eyes back up to her. This time the source of the fear was gone and only happiness appears as I stare into her eyes "No" I say clearly this time. "Good, you'll need to collect your stuff from your desk. You'll be moved up here. Be back in an hour at most. I assume you'll want to say bye to your co-workers and perhaps celebrate with some of that wine". She says with a wink. I'm not sure what she's talking about at first. But it dawns on me, she's talking about what Susan said on my way up here. Susan was joking when she said it but, how did Ellie know? The cameras shouldn't have audio, did someone tell her before I got up here? I nod and stand up. Before I move away, I bow. I don't know why but it felt like the right thing to do. Then I head off towards the elevator, my mind reeling about what I had seen when I looked up at her. There was no way I saw what I thought, it had to be a trick of the light. After all, Ellie was working to make mankind. Advancing humans to the future, there was no way in the world that her bright green eyes had turned the dark red of blood...